Dave Davies has revisited the long-standing rivalry between The Kinks and The Beatles, stating that George Harrison was the only member of the Liverpool quartet he “really liked.” Speaking at the launch of a new art exhibition in London, the guitarist characterized John Lennon as someone who did not like The Kinks and described him as “paranoid,” though he noted Lennon was also funny.
The comments were made during the opening of The Kinks: Brothers, a collaborative exhibition with British portrait painter Christian Furr at Gibson Garage London. While Davies offered a critical view of Lennon and a lukewarm appraisal of Paul McCartney’s songwriting, he later clarified on social media that he remains a fan of The Beatles and appreciates the positive remarks McCartney has made about The Kinks.
Dave Davies on the Beatles Rivalry and George Harrison
During the event at Gibson Garage London, Dave Davies told The Mirror that John Lennon “didn’t like The Kinks, he really didn’t.” Davies added that Lennon “didn’t really like anybody” and singled out George Harrison as the “nicest guy” and the only member of the group he truly liked. When discussing Paul McCartney, Davies remarked that McCartney “wrote a few decent songs, yeah.”
Davies recounted previous experiences with Lennon, specifically regarding the Beatles’ equipment. He recalled that Lennon was fiercely protective of their gear when the two bands played together, stating, “He wouldn’t let us touch anything. ‘Don’t you dare touch those!'” according to reports of the interview.
Following the publication of these remarks, Davies took to X (formerly Twitter) to soften the tone of the critique. On July 24, 2026, he posted: “I like the Beatles and I do appreciate all the kind words @PaulMcCartney has said about the Kinks.”
Origins of the Kinks and Beatles Friction
The tension between the two groups dates back to August 2, 1964, when The Kinks performed as a supporting act for The Beatles at the Gaumont Cinema in Bournemouth. This appearance occurred just two days before the release of “You Really Got Me,” the breakthrough single that secured The Kinks their first UK Number One hit.
Ray Davies previously told MOJO that John Lennon made a dismissive comment suggesting The Kinks were only there to “warm up” the audience. However, the performance of “You Really Got Me” received an ecstatic response from the crowd. Ray Davies described this moment as an “early validation,” comparing the feeling to “being bullied in school and having something that was bigger than the bully.”
The Kinks: Brothers Exhibition and Sibling Reconciliation
The remarks coincided with the opening of The Kinks: Brothers, an exhibition running at Gibson Garage London until September 6. The collection, created with artist Christian Furr, features mixed-media works on paper and canvas that reimagine a 1968 passport photobooth image of Dave and Ray Davies taken in East Finchley, North London.
The exhibition serves as a backdrop to a period of renewed closeness between the brothers. Dave Davies described their current relationship as “miraculous” and stated that they “enjoy each other’s company.” While the siblings last performed together in 2015 during a rendition of “You Really Got Me,” they have continued to collaborate behind the scenes.
In 2023, Ray Davies revealed that the brothers had worked on new material and possessed enough partially completed recordings for approximately 20 songs. Despite their history of volatility, both have stated they would “never say never” to a full Kinks reunion.
The brothers also recently aligned their public stances regarding external criticism of their work. After musician Moby described the lyrics of the 1970 song “Lola” as “gross and transphobic,” Dave Davies stated he was “highly insulted.” He later noted that Ray Davies’ response to the controversy was simply to ask, “Who the fuck is Moby?”
The The Kinks: Brothers exhibition remains open to the public at Gibson Garage London through September 6.
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